Method of and apparatus for making boxes on box-making machines



M. PRCPPER 3,377,926

BOXES ON April 16, 1968 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOX-MAKING MACHINES Filed April 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.7

INVENTQR War; was ap aer- April 16, 1968 M. PROPPER 3,377,926

METHQD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES ON BOX-MAKING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1965 I INVENTOR.

Apnl 16, 1968 M. PRGPPER 3,377,926

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES ON BOX-MAKING MACHINES Filed April 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVEN TOR. 4///a.r 739; e-

Apnl 16, 1968 M. PR'O'PPER 3,377,926

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES ON BOX-MAKING MACHINES Filed April 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. %/4/a.r 'FX-J v vcv- BY W.

April 16, 1968 M. PROPPER 3,377,926

METHOD UP AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES ON BOX-MAKING MACHINES Filed April 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.8

I NVENTOR. WW/f/Q J 20%!- United States Patent METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES ON BOX-MAKING MACHINES Mathias Propper, Dusseldorf-Wersten, Germany, assignor to Boring u.A. Arbeitsgemeinsehaft fur Entwicklung von Papierverarbeitungsmaschinen, Dusseldorf-Reisholz, Germany Filed Apr. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 450,219

Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 23, 1964,

13 Claims. (Cl. 9349) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of and an apparatus for forming flat folded boxes from card box blanks by folding the trailing and leading flaps together with the corresponding triangular portions thereof as well as the trailing and leading tabs of the lateral flaps, applying glue to the associated blank portions, and folding the lateral flaps onto said foldedtrailing and leading flaps, while during all of the aforementioned operations feeding the box blanks along a substantially straight path.

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for making boxes on box-making machines equipped with feeder belts for feeding the box blank, and with a gluing device. Special apparatuses for making boxes are known according to which individual devices are necessary which are controlled in a certain rhythm. With heretofore known methods and apparatuses, the box blanks pass through the machine in two directions which are perpendicular with regard to each other, while the box blanks are advanced in a rhythm and in a forward direction. These heretofore known apparatuses thus require a complicated and expensive control mechanism which is liable to disorders. Moreover, devices of this type require considerable space in view of their mounting at a right angle.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of and apparatus for making boxes on any box-making machines equipped with conveyor belts for the box blanks and with a gluing device, which will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of and apparatus for making boxes which will allow a fast and reliable folding and gluing of the box blanks while being highly economical and not requiring complicated structures.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top View of a blank for a box which may be made according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a side view of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 represents a top view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a folding device according to the invention.

FIG. 5 represents a top view of the folding device of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 diagrammatically illustrates the arrangement of a folding hook with pressure pin and a resilient holding plate.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a conveying arrangement employing upper and lower belts, and showing the location of the upper belt for folding the rear flap of the box blank.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a conveying arrangement with inwardly arranged upper belt, and also the arrangement of a counter holding bar for the rear corner flap to be folded forwardly.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a guide rail arrangement.

' The method of making boxes according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that the blank passes through the box-making machine continuously in one direction and without maintaining a certain rhythm while during this operation at any desired sequence the rear flap of the blank is folded forwardly by means of a folding device while at the same time the triangular surfaces of said rear flap are held back. Furthermore, the front flap is folded rcarwardly by means of a folding hook or the like while at the same time the triangular surfaces of the front flap are held back. The rear corner flaps are folded forwardly by means of the folding devices while additionally a device is employed which holds the side flaps in the feeding plane. The front corner flaps are folded rcarwardly, and after applying adhesive to the corner flaps and/or the triangular surfaces, the side flaps are, by means of guiding rails, folded in the direction toward the central portion of the blank. In conformity with the present invention, the continuous movement of the blanks is brought about by upper and lower belts, While the lower belts support a portion of the bottom and the lateral flaps of the blanks, whereas the upper belts pass either on the longitudinal marginal portions of the bottom or on the lateral flaps. In conformity with the present invention, the folding devices are put into operation mechanically or optically by the respective blank to be folded.

The device for carrying out the method according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that between and/or adjacent the feeder belts there are arranged folding devices and folding hooks as well as corresponding guiding rails. These elements may be provided as a unit, or a plurality of such units may be arranged in succession to each other. The folding device in the embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the drawing is represented by a folding'disc with tilting arms which are adapted to be placed into operation by the interception of a light beam of an optical device as for instance an electric eye. Each tilting arm is connected to a gear which is rotatable by means of a toothed segment is conformity with a control disc and through the intervention of a guiding roller. The folding disc is driven through a pitch angle in conformity with the number of the tilting arms. The drive is effected through the intervention of an electromagnetic control coupling, a pawl transmission, or the like by the uniformly operating machine drive.

The folding hook, which is tiltable about an axis, is provided with a pressure pin the free end of which presses upon a resilient holding plate, said pressure pin being adjustable. In order to assure the folding of the rear corner flaps along the prescribed folding line, in the direction of movement of the blank, a counter holding bar is arranged behind the folding discs which fold the rear corner flaps forwardly. This counter holding bar is tiltable against the thrust of a spring about a pivot located outside the path of movement of the blanks.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the box blank shown in FIG. 1 comprises a bottom 10, a rear flap 11 with triangular surfaces 11a and 11b, a front flap 12 with triangular surfaces 12a and 12b, and side flaps 13 and 14 with a rear corner flap 15 and a front corner flap 16. Blank 1 is passed through the machine in the direction of the arrow A without the necessity of maintaining a certain rhythm.

FIGS. 2 and 3 diagrammatically illustrate a box-making machine according to the invention. The box blanks 1 are, by means of a feeder belt 90, introduced into the machine in a manner known per se. At the transfer station 91, the box blanks are, in conformity with FIG. 2, transferred to the lower belts and upper belts 6. The lower belts 5 are below a portion of the box bottom and of the side flaps 13 and 14 of blanks 1 as is more clearly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the illustrated embodiment, according to FIG. 3, first the rear flap 11 of blank 1 is folded forwardly as indicated in the position I in FIG. 3. This folding of the rear flap 11 is effected by means of a folding device 2 which in the present embodiment is designed as a folding disc 21 (FIG. 4) between belts 5 and 6. Folding disc 21 has arranged thereon tilting arms 22 which are movable by means of pinions 23 respectively fixedly connected to said tilting arms 22. The movement back and forth of pinions 23 is effected by means of toothed segments 24. This movement of tilting arms 22 is carried out during the stepwise rotative movement of folding disc 21 in counterclockwise direction. This movement is initiated by the oncoming blank 1 and is produced by the continuously operating machine drive through the intervention of an electromagnetic control coupling of a pawl drive or the like. For instance, the oncoming blank 1 interrupts a light beam of an optical device 7 which then engages an electromagnetic control coupling and thereby brings about a rotation of the folding disc 21 in counterclockwise direction by an angle which corresponds to the pitch angle selected in conformity with the number of tilting arms. During this rotation of the folding disc 21, a guiding roller 26 passes over a control cam 25 which is stationarily arranged on the machine. Control cam disc 25 is provided with a depression 25:: by means of which in the upper position thereof the tooth segment 24 will be tilted in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of folding disc 21. As a result thereof, gear 23 and tilting arm 22 connected thereto will be rotated in the direction of rotation of disc 21. Inasmuch as the circumferential speed of folding disc 21 is greater than the conveying speed of belts 5 and 6, it will be appreciated that during the forward movement of tilting arm 22, rear flap 11 will be folded forwardly. Folding disc 21 then remains in the position shown in FIG. 4 so that belts 5 and 6 are able to move blank 1 in folded condition out of the folding device 2.

During the above mentioned folding operation, guiding rails which, for the sake of clarity have been omitted from FIG. 3, hold back triangular surfaces 11a and 11b of the rear flap 11 so that the blank at station I will be in the condition shown in FIG. 3.

The guiding rail arrangement in FIG. 9 shows how the triangular surfaces 11a, 11b are folded or held back when the rear flap 11 is folded forwardly, FIG. 9 showing three phases of this operation.

When in conformity with FIG. 3 blank 1 is by means of the belt arrangement of FIG. 7 moved to station II, the blank will reach folding hook 3 which, during the further movement of the blank, is tilted upwardly. During this movement, a pressure pin 31 arranged at the free end 32 of folding hook 3 presses upon a holding plate 33 which sees to it that the rear flap 11 already folded forwardly can no longer be grasped by the folding book 3. Holding plate 33, by means of pressure pin 31, again holds rear flap 11 as shown in FIG. 6. Also during this folding back of front fiap 12, by means of guiding rails, the triangular surfaces 12a, 12b were held back so that blank 1 will be in the condition shown in station II of FIG. 3.

At the transfer station 92 upper belt 6 changes from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8. As a result thereof, the side flaps 13 and 14 with the rear and front corner flaps 15 and 16 are freed for folding purposes, and furthermore the already folded rear and front flaps 11 and 12 with their triangular surfaces 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b are safely held.

The new following folding first of rear corner flaps 15 and then of the front corner flaps 16 is, in conformity with FIG. 3, effected by two folding discs 21 which are arranged laterally and outside of and adjacent to belts 5, 6 and which carry correspondingly arranged folding arms 22.

The individual movements of folding devices 2 and folding hooks 3 are effected in the above described manner while, however, additionally on each side there is provided a counter holding bar 8 (FIG. 7). This bar 8 is intended to prevent the rear corner flaps from being folded other than at the prescribed edge between the rear corner flaps 15 and side flaps 13 and 14. Bar 8 brings about that side flaps 13, 14 remain at the rear end in the plane of the path of movement of the blanks. When blank 1 during its continuous transport moves with the portions just folded by folding disc 21 onto bars 8, said bars will tilt about a pivot arranged outside the path of movement of the blanks. This tilting movement of bars 8 is effected against the thrust of a tension spring 81 and thus will allow a further transport of the blanks.

Following this folding operation, subsequent to passing the second transfer station 92, blank 1 will be in a condition shown in station III of FIG. 3.

From here the blank passes through a third transfer station 93 to an adhesive-applying device 94 in which the corner flaps 15, 16 and/or the triangular surfaces 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b of the rear and front flaps 11 and 12 will be provided with an adhesive. Blank 1 will then be at station IV. In order to facilitate the application of an adhesive and to free the corresponding surfaces, the upper belts 6 are, following the third transfer station 93, located further to the central portion of the blank as shown in FIG. 3 in dot-dash lines.

Following the application of an adhesive to the blank, the latter is by means of known longitudinal folding devices folded in such a way that the side flaps 13 and 14 pass from the position which they occupy at station IV through an intermediate position into the end position at station V. When side flaps 13 and 14 occupy their end positions, the triangular surfaces 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b engage and are connected to the front and rear end flaps 15 and 16. Blank 1 now has been folded to its final condition and is then passed through a pressing device 95 which presses the adhesive covered parts and parts engaged thereby against each other.

As will be evident from the above, the method according to the present invention permits a considerable increase in the working speed and in the ejection during the manufacture of boxes. Moreover, not only simple boxes of the type just described above can be produced but also such boxes provided with a corresponding lid. To this end, it is merely necessary to increase the number of the successive folding devices and folding hooks.

The apparatus according to the present invention excels over heretofore known devices employed for the same purpose by its simple construction which will assure a reliable operation and a low cost production. The apparatus according to the present invention may easily be supplemented or be rebuilt for boxes of a different type.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular arrangement shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for making fiat folded boxes adapted to be unfolded, which includes: first upper and lower belt means extending along a substantially straight path and operable in cooperation with each other and to receive therebetween and to feed along a substantially straight path a box blank having oppositely located first and second foldable portions to be folded oppositely to and toward each other in the longitudinal direction of said path and also having third and fourth foldable portions foldable oppositely to and toward each other in a direction transverse to said path while being provided with end portions foldable oppositely to and toward each other in the longitudinal direction ofsaid path, said upper and lower belt means having such a width as to support POI? tions only of said blank so as to leave the. upper surfaces of said first and second foldable. portions uncovered, circulating first folding means includin pivotally supported hooks operable to move into and out of said substantially straight path in a plane extending in the longitudinal direction of, said pathfor engaging andfolding said first foldable portions in a direction toward said second foldable portions onto adjacent portions of saidblank, second folding means arranged in spaced relationship to andbehind said first folding means when looking .in the feeding direction of said belt means, said secondfoldirig means including a folding hook movable into the, substantially straight path of movement of said blank for folding said second foldable portion in the direction toward said first foldable portion, guiding means extending in the longitudinal direction of said substantially straight feeding path and operable to extend'into the folding path of said first and second foldable portions for'engagernent therewith to fold those portions engaged thereby in'a'direction opposite to the folding direction of other portions of said first and second foldable portions by said first and second folding means, second upper and lower belt means extendin in longitudinal direction of said substantially straight path and being offset with regard to said first upper and lower belt means in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of said path for receiving the thus folded blank from said first upper and lower belt means so as to leave uncovered the upper surface of said foldable end portions of said third and fourth foldable portions, circulatory third folding means including'pivotally supported hooks operable to move into and out of the path of those end portions of said third and fourth foldable portions which represent the rear end portions when looking in the feeding direction of said second belt means for folding said rear end portions in the feeding direction of said second'belt means, fourth folding means arranged in spaced relationship to and behind said third folding means when looking in the feeding direction of said second upper and lower belt means while likewise being located along the said substantially straight path, said fourth folding means including a folding hook movable into the blank feeding path defined by said second upper and lower belt means for folding the front end portions of said third and fourth foldable portions in the direction toward said rear end portions, adhesive applying means arranged adjacent the substantially straight feeding path of the thus folded blank for applying adhesive to the upwardly facing surfaces of those portions of said first and second foldable portions which were folded by said guiding means, and means likewise arranged adjacent the said substantially straight path for folding said third and fourth foldable portions in a direction toward each other and pressing the folded end portions thereof against the adhesive covered surface of said first and second foldable portions.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, which includes optical control means adapted to be controlled by the blank to be folded and operatively connected with said circulatory first and second folding means for controlling the operation thereof.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, which includes mechanical control means adapted to be controlled by the blank to be folded and operatively conneoted with said circulatory first and second folding means for controlling the operation thereof.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which each of said circulatory first and second folding means includes a rotatable disc having arms pivotally connected thereto and means operatively connected to said disc and operable in response to an optical change to change the respective condition of operation of said disc.

5. A folding device for use in connection with card box folding machines for folding flaps of card box blank,

6. which includes: a rotatable member, a plurality of folding'members substantially uniformly distributed overthe circumference of said member and pivotally supported thereby, a plurality of gear means respectively connected to said folding member, a plurality of gear segments pivotally supported by said member and respectively associated with said gear meanswhile being in meshing engagement with the respective adjacent gear means, and control means operatively connected to said member for rotation therewith and operable to sequentially subject each of said gear means to an oscillating movement to ther by Swing the respective adjacent folding member through an angle back and forth.

6. A folding device according to claim- 5, which includes means adapted to be connected to a continuous drive of a box folding machine for advancing said rotatable member by an angle at a time corresponding to the pitch angle of the pivotally supported folding members.

7. A. method of, folding into fiat folded boxes box blanks having a bottom area; trailing and leading flaps including trailing and leading triangular portions at their lateral ends; lateral flaps extendin at opposite sides of said bottom area and terminating at each end into trailing and leading tabs, respectively,adjacent said trailing and leading triangular portions, respectively; said method comprising the steps of: engaging said trailing flap and folding it toward said bottom area while simultaneously folding the respective adjacent triangular portions thereof toward that side of the trailing flap being folded which faces away from said bottom area; engaging said leading fiap and folding it toward said bottom area while simultaneously folding the respective adjacent triangular portions thereof toward said side of the leading flap being folded which faces away from said bottom area; folding said trailing and said leading tabs onto said lateral flaps respectively; continuing advancing said prefolded blank along the said substantially straight path and applying a suitable coating of glue to the new upper surfaces of said folded triangular portions and the now upper surfaces of said folded trailing and leading tabs; folding said lateral flaps toward said bottom area with said upper surfaces of said trailing and leading tabs engaging the respective upper surfaces of said folded triangular portions, respectively; and pressing said trailing and leading tabs against said adjacent triangular portions so that a permanent connection is obtained.

8. An apparatus for folding into flat folded boxes card box blanks having a bottom area; trailing and leading flaps including trailing and leading triangular portions at their lateral ends; lateral flaps extending at opposite sides of said bottom are and terminating at each end into trailing and leading tabs, respectively, adjacent said trailing and leading triangular portions, respectively; said apparatus including means for continuously advancing said blanks along a substantially straight path; means arranged adjacent said path for folding said trailing and said leading flaps toward said bottom area; means likewise arranged adjacent said path for folding said triangular portions onto the outer surface of said leading and trailing flaps while said blanks are moving along said substantially straight path; means adjacent said path for folding said trailing and leading tabs onto their lateral flaps; means likewise arranged along said substantially straight path for applying glue to the outer surface of said folded trailing and leading tabs and to the inner surfaces of said triangular portions; and means arranged along said substantially straight path for folding said lateral flaps toward said bottom and for pressing said glue coated surfaces of said tabs and said triangular portions, respectively, against each other; said means for applying glue, for folding said lateral flaps and for pressing said glue coated surfaces against each other all being adapted to act upon said box blank during the continuous advancement of the latter along said substantially straight path.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means for folding said trailing flap and said trailing tabs, respectively, includes rotatable discs having arms pivotally conneoted thereto, said discs being adapted to be coupledto driving means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said driving means and said folding means, respectively, and means operable in response to the actual position of said blank relative to said folding means to disconnect said folding means and said driving means when said blank is remote from said folding means more than a predetermined distance and to effect driving connection between said folding and said driving means when said box is spaced from said folding means by less than said predetermined distance. a

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for folding said leading flap andsaid leading tabs respectively includes a pivotally mounted folding hook and resilient pressure plate means associated with said folding hook, said hook being provided with a pressure pin engaging said pressure plate means in a slightly biased manner.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said pin is adjustably mounted within said folding hook,

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, which includes holding means pivotally supported laterally of the path of movement of'the blanks to be folded and continuously urged into said path for temporarily holding said lateral fiapsin a common plane with said blank, said holding ment of said blanks in response to being engaged by the leading edge of the trailing tab folded onto its associated lateral flap.

'13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for folding said lateral flaps toward said bottom isformed by guide rails extending in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of advancement of said blank along said substantially straight path, said guide rails having a'suitably curved surface for engaging the oncomingleading edge of a lateral flap and for gradually folding said lateral flap over and onto said bottom area during the forward motion of said blank.

References Cited I ,7 UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

